Bucharest mayor Gabriela Firea turned on the Christmas lights in the city and officially opened the Bucharest Christmas Market in Constitutiei Square on December 1, when Romania also celebrated the National Day.

Thousands of Bucharesters went to the event, which also included a traditional Romanian music concert.

This year, more than 3 million lights have been installed in Bucharest on a 29-kilometer route, which includes the city’s biggest boulevards. For the first time, the Old Town is also lit for Christmas.

The Bucharest Christmas Market also opened officially on December 1. This year, the market has been set up in Constitutiei Square, in front of the Parliament’s Palace, unlike previous years, when it was located in Universitatii Square.

The new location is bigger and accommodates more gift shops, food booths, and more diverse activities than in previous years. The Christmas Market also has a big stage, where concerts will take place in December, an ice skating rink, and a carousel for children.

Other big cities, such as Timisoara, Cluj-Napoca, and Iasi also lit up the Christmas lights on December 1.

Thousands of people enjoy the sunny weather and the military parade on Romania’s National Day

editor@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Bucharest Christmas Market on Facebook, Photos by Alex Barbulescu and Dragos Andrei Toader)